How to Sew Sails?

[mkmossop]

Ok so I know what type of stitch etc I'm going to use on the sail, however I'm not sure where exactly to sew. I'm going to paint the emblem where the outline is, and after that, do I sew through the emblem? The dotted lines don't pass through it, so I'm not sure if that means I'm not supposed to sew through it.

 

On someone else's model I think they sewed around the entire emblem outline.

 

Thanks for any tips!

[popeye2sea]

If you consider that the sewn lines are the seams of the sail cloths used to construct the sail, then the emblem would have been an additional piece sewn over  the cloths.  Hence the seams would be hidden by the emblem.

[amateur]

My impression always was that the emblems were painted on the sails. Which suggests: seams visible.

 

Jan

[mkmossop]

Ok that's one vote each way... anyone else?

[trippwj]

Everything I've seen indicated painted on.

[wefalck]

Yes, sewing seems to be a fairly common practices among modellers. But it is not anywhere to scale. I prefer glueing as well.

 

I gather there are historical examples for both, painting as well as applications to create devices on sails. The same as for flags. Both techniques were used together also.

 

wefalck

[Modeler12]

I agree that the sails would have been sewn all the way to indicate that they are seams.

The scale of your model should also be considered when making the sails. I used a very light weight cotton for my Connie model which is at 1:76 scale. Anything smaller could lead to the scale problems mentioned.

 

If I were you I would paint the emblem. They would never be exposed to the weather on your model and adding additional materials to both sides would make the sail too thick.

 

 

[mkmossop]

To clear things up... I'm going to paint the emblem on for sure, I'm just not sure if I should sew through it. If historically they emblem is sewn on, then I'll just sew around the edges of where I painted.

[captainbob]

If that emblem is sewn on with out seams in it.  It would be a very wide piece of cloth.

 

Bob

[PopJack]

Please forgive a non-expert opinion from a dry-lander here, but I have read that the reasons the sails had seams was because the width of fabric available from which to make them was limited, thus multiple pieces were sewn together.  As time progressed and wider fabric bolts progressed, so did the wider or non-seamed sail.

 

The seams in photographs were quite pronounced- because of fabric overlap I would assume- but I have seen several photographs where this was true.

 

This would lead me to believe that the seams should definitely run through any painted on decoration.